Process and means for supporting and stretching tubular fabrics during treatment



Sept. 16, 1930. F. DRABBLE 1,775,894

PROCESS AND IEANS FOR SUPPORTING AND STRETCHING TUBULAR FABRICS DURINGTREATMENT Filed Sept. 30, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 "N '1 l g d U Sept. 16,1930. F. DRABBLE 1,775,394

PROCESS AND BANS FOR SUPPORTING AND STRBTCHING TUBULAR FABRICS DURINGTREATMENT Filed Sept. 30, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 16, 1930. DRABBLE1,775,894

PROCESS AND IEANS FOR SUPPORTING AND STRETCHING TUBULAR FABRICS DURINGTREKTMENT Filad Sept. 30, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Sept. 16, 1930. DRABBL1,775,894

I PROCESS AND MEANS FO UPPORT AND STRETCHING TUBULAR FA I DURINGTREATMENT Fi Sept. 30, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 u "Lg-3L 21-" 1 PatentedSept. 16, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE rnnnnmcx DRAIBZBLE, oruArLo'cx, ENGLAND PROCESS AN D MEANS FOR SUPPORTING AND STRETGHINGTUBULAR FABRICS DURING TREATMENT Application filed September 80, 1927,Serial No. 223,130, and in Great Britain October 1, 1926.

This invention relates 'to an improved method and means for enablingknitted or other tubular fabrics to be supported and stretched whilemaintaining a substantially circular section during mercerizing, dyeing,

culty of supporting an internal stretching medium which will permit of aradial stretching in all directions on the fabrics to take placesimultaneously with continuous longitudinal movement. It has, however,

been proposed to stretch tubular knitted or woven fabrics in flat formby passing the fabric over a core the main feature of which consisted ofa pair of arms pivoted to a support at their forward ends and capable ofbeing moved at their opposite ends divergently to the required distanceto which the fabric was to. be stretched laterally, the fabric beingpassed over an entrance member prior to reaching the stretching arms andbeing drawn along in continuous form by rollers. The core member wassupported near each: end by rollers on the core and supporting framerespectively so arranged that while allowing the fabric to traverselongitudinally heldthe core in position.

The present invention is designed to enable knittedor other tubularfabrics to be supported in a substantially circular form and stretchedradially and further to enable this operation to be effectedcontinuously, that is with continuous feed of tubular fabric. The radialstretching may be accompanied by longitudinal stretching if desired.

The process according to this invention is characterized by passing thefabric continuously over a core provided with roller members which givethe fabric a substantially circular section and stretch it radiallyduring the whole of its travel over the core. The apparatus consistsessentially of a core which isprovided' with rollers to contact with theinterior surface of the fabric at a pluralit of points, such core beingsupported y rollers outside the fabric. Some or all of these externalrollers may be positively driven to assist the passage of the fabricover the core.

The rollers on the core may rotate in planes radial to the core but someof them preferably rotate in planes which do not pass through the axisso as to prevent the core as a whole rotating. The rollers outside thefabric are preferably so disposed that those at the ends of the coreprevent its longitudinal movement.

In restoring the tubular material to the flat form a pair of pivotedarms are preferably employed and rollers are mounted on the endscontacting through the fabric with positively driven external rollers sothat the progress of the fabric is not retarded by the friction of therollers at the edges and the weft structure of the fabric entering thedelivery rollers is maintained in the same position at which it enteredthe stretching apparatus.

This invention will be fully described with reference to the acompanyingdrawings in which:

Fig. 1, is an elevation of the machine at the entrance end with thefirst pair of feeding rollers removed,

Fig. 2, side elevation of the main portion of the machine,

Fig. 3, plan of the complete machine,

Fig. 4, elevation of the adjustable arms degice at the finishing end ofthe machine, an

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the machine.

In carrying out my invention a is the main frame of the machine in whichI employ a core consisting of a central member I) of solid or tubularformation carrying a plurality of bosses a supporting a number of radialarms d, or discs, such arms or discs carrying at their outer ends, orperiphery, pulleys or rollers e or other means for engaging with theinterior surface of the tubular fabric to support it internally at anumber of radial points. The bosses 0 are adjustable longitudinally ofthe member I) so as to enable the supporting pulleys or rollers or othermeans, or a combination of both to be adjustedaxially with relation toeach other. The

them to be' adjusted ina radial direction so that the core member may beincreased or decreased in diameter in accordancewith the diameter of thetubular fabric being dealt with or to the diameter to which such fabricis to be stretched in accordance with the character of the operation itis undergoing. The series of pulleys in one set may be arranged instaggered formation with those of another set or sets as shown in Fig.

1. In the drawings the pulleys are sepa-' respectively on shafts j andis such pulleys rotating in contact with two of the rollers 6 carried bythe arms d. I also use rollers or pulleys m preferably freely mounted onstuds it carried by brackets 0 adjustable to and from two of the rollers6 carried by the arms 41. The pulleys h and z and pulleys m contact withthe rollers e in such a way as to hold the core in position axially andto prevent it rising and rotating. The shaft j is driven from one of thefeed rollers p at the feeding end of the machine by Way of pulley q,belt 1' and pulley 8 while the shaft is driven from shaft j by way ofsprocket wheel 15, chain to and sprocket wheel 1;, both shafts j and krotating at the same speed, though, if required,

shaft is may bedriven at a higher speed if it is required to stretch thefabric longitudinally. The pulleys h and i in conjunction. with thepulleys or rollers they are in contact with assist in passing the fabriclongitudinally over the core though the main traversing of the fabric iseffected by means of the pair of delivery rollers to at the finishingend of the machine. A longitudinal draft may be set up on the fabricbetween its entry on and passing off the core by rotating the deliveryrollers at a higher speed than the feed rollers p or at a higher speedthan the rollers i by driving the delivery rollers w from the feedrollers way of pulley a, belt y, pulley 2, cone p b pulleys 3, belt 4and pulley 5 on one of the delivery roller shafts 6. I do not confinemyself to this method of obtaining a draft on the fabric as otherwell-known means may be employed for effecting a differential drive.-

' For keeping the cellular or weft structure of the fabric in the sameposition at which of said arms carry studs'lO on which are freelymounted pulleys 11 mainly arranged with curved extensions of the arms 7the outer ends of which extend towards the nip of the delivery rollers,such outer ends being substantial- 1y tangential with the peripheries ofthe pulleys 11. The arms 7 are adapted to be adjusted about theirpivotal points 8 by means of a turnbuckle 12 mounted in an extension 13from the frame 9 acting in conjunction with right and left handedscrew-threaded rods 14 carried by shackles 15 pivoted at 16 on the arm7. Nuts 17 lock the parts in the adjusted'position. Other means may beemployed for adjusting andlocking the arms in position. After leavingthe core the fabric changes from the substantially circular form to fiatform in passing over the arms 7 to the delivery rollers and ispositively fed or controlled in passing to such rollers for the purosehereinbefore described by means of puleys 18 acting in conjunction withthepulleys 11. 'Thepulleys 18 are mounted upon studs 19 carried inseparate carriages 20 slidably arranged on rods 21, the carriages beingnormally pulled towards each other to effect a grip on the edges of thefabric by means of springs 22 coupled to them and likewise anchored at23 to a stationary bracket 24. The pulleys 18 may be driven at asuitable and adjustable speed in accordance with the requirements of thefabric by means of ropes or belts 25 passing round the pulleys overguide. pulleys 26 to pulleys 27 fixed on a shaft 28 which, in turn, isdriven from the 'feed roller shaft 6 by way of pulley 30, belt 31 topulley 29, cone 32, belt 33, cone 34 and thence by way of pulley 35 ofthe last named cone by a belt 37 to pulley 36 on shaft 28. It willtherefore be seen that pulleys 18 can be adjusted in speed by the secondset of cone pulleys to the speed of the delivery rollers w.

The spacing apart of the arms 7 is regulated by means of the turnbuckle12 according to the width of the flattened fabric to be delivered 'tothe rollers 11;. The fabric as it passes the pulleys 11 on the ends ofthe arms 7 is gripped by the driven pulleys .18 which are pressedtowardsthe pulleys 11 by the springs 22. Retardation of the fabric atthe edges is thus prevented and it is fed to the delivery rollers 'w atthe same rate at which these rollers are revolved, this being'ensured byadjustment of the belt 33 on the cores 32 and 34. In consequence of thisthe weft structure of the fabric is maintained in its correct positionduring delivery and any bowing or curving is prevented.

It will be understood from the foregoing description that the functionof the core is to stretch the tubular fabric radially and to permit ofits longitudinal passage along the core to take place and to enable adrawing or traversing action which permits of a continuous treatmentbeing given to the fabric.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentis 1. Apparatus for enabling knitted or other tubular fabrics to bestretched during mercerizing, dyeing or other operations having a coreexternally provided with roller means for contacting with the interiorsurface of the fabric at a plurality of points, said core beingexternally supported by roller means contacting with the exteriorsurface of the fabric so as to permit the fabric to be passedcontinuously between such roller means around said core.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the roller means on the coreare mounted upon bosses longitudinally adjustable of said core.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the roller means on the coreare radially adjust-able thereof.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which some of the external coresupporting roller means are adapted to be positively driven to assist incarrying the fabric along the core.

5. Apparatus as claimed in 'claim 1 in which feed and delivery rollermeans are provided adjacent the ends of the core to enable the tubularfabric to be received and delivered in the flat form.

6. Apparatus for enabling knitted or other tubular fabrics to bestretched during mercerization, dyeing, drying or other operationshaving a core provided with roller means for contacting with theinterior of the fabric at a plurality of points so as to give it acircular section and stretch it radially and roller means externally ofthe fabric co-operating with the roller means on said core to supportsaid core and permit fabric to be passed continuously thereover.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 in which the roller means are mountedupon bosses longitudinally adjustable of said core.

8. Apparatus for enabling knitted or other tubular fabrics to bestretched during mercerization, dyeing, drying or other operationshaving a core provided with roller means for contacting with theinterior surface ofthe fabric at a plurality of points so as to give ita circular section and stretch it radially, roller means externally ofthe fabric co-operating with the roller means on said core to supportsaid core and permit fabric to be passed continuously thereover, andfeed and delivery rollers adjacent the ends of said core provided withdifferential gearing to enable the fabric to be stretched longitudinallysimultaneously with the radial stretching.

9. In apparatus for enabling knitted or other tubular fabrics to bestretched during niercerizing, dyeing or other operations having afloating core designed to give the fabric a substantially circularsection, means for keeping the cellular or weft structure of the fabricin the same position at which it entered the stretching apparatus priorto its delivery through the delivery rollers comprising arms pivoted atone end and carrying at their other ends roller means, means for lateraladjustment of said roller means and positively driven roller meansacting in conjunction therewith to draw the fabric therebetween.

10. In apparatus as claimed in claim 9 the provision of slidablecarriages carrying positively driven rollers and spring or the likemeans to keep said positively driven rollers in contact with rollers onthe pivoted arms.

11. Process for stretching knitted or similar tubular fabric duringmercerization, dyeing, drying and similar operations which consists indistending the fabric to a substantially circular form, stretching itradially while in such form, and progressively bringing the fabric whilestretched to a fiat form.

12. Process for stretching knitted or simillar tubular fabric duringmercerization, dyeing, drying or similar operations which consists indistending the fabric to a substantially circular form, stretching itradially while in such form and progressing it forward between rollerssituated internally and externally of said tubular fabric.

13. Process for stretching knitted or similar tubular fabric duringmercerization, dyeing, drying or similar operations which consists indistending the fabric to a substantially circular form, stretching itradially and longitudinally while in such form, and progressing itforward between rollers situated internally and externally of saidtubular fabric.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, this16th day of September, 1927.

FREDERICK DRABBLE.

